Preparing For A Meeting

[John Randall 0]

OFFICIAL LOG

LIEUTENANT JOHN RANDALL

USS CHALLENGER

 

(Personal Log Stardate 11306.18)

 

 

John sat in his cabin onboard Challenger awaiting a summons to the bridge

from the ship's executive officer, Commander Erica Rinax. He had went to

see the commander about a comm he had gotten from Admiral Jason Baldwin

of Starfleet Intelligence. In the comm, Baldwin had intimated to Randall that

he had some information that Randall might find personally compelling. After

John received the comm, he had talked it over with his friend, and commanding

officer, Lieutenant Commander Eddie Freeman, chief of Engineering, on what

he should do.

 

Freeman advised him to notify at least one of the bridge officers, either Captain

Ja'Lale or Commander Rinax, before he met Baldwin at the preassigned

coordinates stipulated in the comm. John was going to tell someone where

he was this time, in light of what had happened to him the last time he had had

dealings with Starfleet Intelligence. John accepted Eddie's advice, called the

bridge, and had gotten in touch with the XO of Challenger. After a meeting in

the captain's ready room, Rinax informed Randall she would contact the captain,

and get his feelings and/or orders from him; she would then contact John, and

have him return to the bridge.

 

John decided to watch the second game of the Centauran World Series of null-G

ball while he was waiting on word from Rinax. He plugged the vidcube into the player,

got a bottle of flavored water out of stasis, and sat down on his sofa to watch the game.

About an hour later, John's console beeped. "Rinax to Randall, please see me on the

bridge," came the voice of the executive officer. John stopped the player, and went

over to the computer terminal. He punched the 'comm button. "On my way, Commander,"

he answered, and strode to the door of the cabin. It whooshed open, and the lieutenant

made his way down the corridor to the turbolift. "Bridge," he said as he entered, and

the lift sped off.

 

The lift deposited him on the deck, and Randall stepped out onto the bridge. He looked

around, and saw the executive officer in her chair. He walked over, and stopped in front

of her. "Randall reporting as requested, sir," he said, and the commander looked up,

blinking. "Ah, Randall, that was quick," she said with a hint of surprise in her voice. "Let's

hit the ready room." As she arose from her chair, she snapped, "Ops, you have the con."

The ops officer acknowledged her, and she led John to the ready room.

 

They sat down, she behind the desk, he in a chair in front. She clasped her hands together,

and looked directly at him. "So," she began. "I had a minimal chat with the captain; he didn't

like being bothered, between his.....well, let's just say he's busy." John raised his eyebrows,

but Rinax pressed on quickly. "I cannot let you leave and see the admiral alone," she

continued, "so I am going to assign a security officer to accompany you. You can select

one, if you have a preference, but I have to approve them." John shrugged, and said,

"Whoever you assign is fine by me, Commander."

 

Rinax nodded and reached over to punch the 'comm button. "XO to security," she said.

"Who is the acting duty chief?" While she waited for a response, she turned back to John.

"Secondly," she said, "you will have 48 hours, no more, to complete whatever this is going

to be. If you do not return, I will consider you AWOL." John nodded in understanding.

"Hopefully, he just wants to see me this time," replied the lieutenant. A response came

from security. "Ensign Redhawk here, sir," said the voice. Rinax responded, "Ensign

Redhawk, you will accompany Lieutenant Randall on a mission. Report to sickbay."

"Aye, sir," replied the ensign. "Redhawk out." The commander looked back at John.

"You will take him with you, and bring him back in one piece. Do you have any questions?"

 

John gave a small smile, and said, "I will endeavour to do my best, Commander; no questions

here." Rinax nodded, then looked at him. "Ok, the final thing," she said. Her eyes grew

very watchful. "You will also report to sickbay, and see the chief medical officer. She is

going to inject both of you with tracking devices, and this is not optional. I am not going to

lose staff while the captain is off the bridge." She watched him carefully for his reaction, and

was somewhat surprised when the lieutenant simply nodded. "I wish I had had one of those

last time," John said. "No problem, Commander. Anything else?" Rinax, slightly mollified,

stood and said, "I'll head down with you." She picked up her cup she had brought with

her, took a final sip of whatever she had been drinking, and set the cup back down.

 

Randall nodded, arose out of his chair, and exited the ready room, heading for the turbolift,

the commander right on his heels. They entered, and Rinax snapped, "Deck 7." The doors

closed, and the lift took off. She glanced at John, then looked straight ahead. "You do know

I've worked for Intel undercover most of my career until recently," she said. Randall

glanced at her, then likewise looked straight ahead. "Yes, sir," he said. "I've gathered that

in the short time I've known you." Rinax said, "I've been locked into a lot of admirals,

generals, and other brass that push my buttons and butt around...you know." John nodded,

but didn't say anything.

 

A few seconds passed, then he said, "My father worked for Starfleet Intelligence." Rinax then

looked at him, an eyebrow raising. "I've forgotten," she said. "Who was your father?" John

took a deep breath, and said, "Lieutenant Commander Marcus Julian Randall, sir. The title

was only honorary." Rinax looked straight ahead. The name of his father did ring a bell in

her head, but she decided she wasn't going to let the lieutenant know that. She then said,

"Well, I want you to know that no matter the rank, you have Starfleet's executive orders

that give you the right to refuse any mission; especially when orders are....a little

questionable." John glanced at her, and replied, "Thank you, Commander, I will remember

that." Rinax nodded. "Good," she said, as the lift came to a stop.

 

They walked down the corridor to the sickbay doors, which whooshed open as they

approached. Rinax strode in, and said, "Where's the chief?" Doctor Gretchen Hanson stepped

out of a treatment room upon hearing the commander's voice. "Come on back, Commander,"

she said as the doors whooshed open again, admitting a lanky young man into the reception

area, dressed in the familiar red shirt and black pants uniform of a security guard. John

nodded to him, and the ensign, seeing the pips on Randall's collar, nodded respectfully back.

"Ah," said Rinax, and the three officers moved to the room where the chief medical officer

of the Challenger was waiting, hypospray in hand. She frowned briefly as she saw an

extra person with the party; she had been expecting to inject only Randall.

 

John moved forward, and smiled at her. "Hello, Doctor, I guess you know why we're here,"

he said, and Hanson returned the smile. "Of course," she said. "Step over here, please."

"Doctor, you will be injecting the ensign here also," said Rinax, and Hanson nodded

resignedly. "Please send the locking codes and ID's for both of them to my station,"

continued Rinax, and Hanson nodded. "We'll take care of him, Commander," she said.

"Is this to be a wrist injection, Doctor?" inquired Randall, and she shook her head.

"No, I like the underside of the upper arm," she said. "More room for the device. So, if you'll

roll up your sleeve for me," she trailed off, and John proceeded to follow her directions.

 

Rinax wandered out into the reception area while John was being readied for the injection,

and, a few seconds later, Randall overheard the commander talking with the Challenger's

navigational officer, Lieutenant H.G. Reed. The doctor sprayed a local antisthetic to John's

arm to numb it for the tracking device injection. She then picked up another hypo, that

contained the tracking device, and shot it into his flesh. Randall rubbed his arm a little, then

smiled at her. "All done?" he asked, and she nodded. "All done," she replied, and pulled a

green sucker out of her pocket, giving it to him. She whispered, "Don't let the commander

see this; she'll find some excuse to take it from you," smiling as she said it.

 

John winked at her, and quickly put the sucker in his pants pocket. "No worries, Doctor,"

he said, and then moved out of the way to make room for Ensign Redhawk to receive his

tracker. He went out into the reception area, and spotted Rinax talking with Reed. He moved

over to the two women. "Lieutenant Reed, how you doing?" he asked. The bridge officer

smiled at him, and said, "Hello, John, it is nice to see you." To Rinax, she said, "Home, ma'am."

The executive officer nodded, then looked at John. "Randall," she said, then held up

four fingers, then eight. John nodded, and Rinax turned back to Reed. "See you, then,"

she said. John looked over to Reed. "Hope you have a great time in whatever you do, H.G.

See you later." Reed smiled at him. "Home is always worth a visit. Safe travels, John."

She gave him a nod, and Randall thought he detected a bit of a worried expression

directed toward him by the lady lieutenant.

 

He moved away from the two women just as Ensign Redhawk came out of the treatment

room, rubbing his arm also. John then looked over to Rinax, who was watching them. "I

guess we're ready to go, Commander," he said. "Will check in with the ship later." Rinax

nodded, and said, "See you soon." John and Redhawk came to attention briefly, and

Randall said, "Sir." Then they turned, and exited sickbay, John not noticing Rinax's

amused half-smile as she watched them go.

 

As they walked down the corridor, John said to the security man, "We shouldn't need

anything except what we've already got, Ensign." "Aye, sir," replied Redhawk, and

they reached the turbolift. "Deck 3," said John, and the lift whisked them away. They

arrived at the deck, and John led the ensign down the corridor to his cabin. The door

swooshed open, and they went inside; Randall heading for the computer terminal. He

punched the button for the 'comm, and said, "Lieutenant Randall to Admiral Baldwin,

come in, please." A few seconds later, the voice of the admiral sounded. "Baldwin

here, go ahead, Lieutenant." "Ready to transport to coordinates, sir," said John. "On

orders from my XO, I will not be alone."

 

There was a second or two of silence, then Baldwin said, "Acknowledged, Lieutenant.

Yes, beam to those coords, and I will see you there. Baldwin out." John nodded to

Redhawk, and the two men left his cabin, heading for the turbolift. They entered, and

John said, "Deck 10." The lift sped off, and they arrived at their destination. The men

exited the lift, and strode to the doors of the transporter room, which swooshed open

as they approached. John went over to the transporter chief, handed him a PADD, and

said, "Two to beam to those coordinates, Lieutenant." "Aye," responded the chief, and

Randall and Redhawk ascended the transporter dais. After a few seconds, the chief

looked up at John and nodded. "Energize," Randall said, and the two men shimmered

out of existence.

 

 

 

END LOG